Artificial Intelligence
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4 min
Finding Balance: The Prometheus-Epimetheus
By Fiona Reynolds | 28 July 2024
When I taught Middle School Language Arts, one of my favorite units was on Greek Mythology. I loved it for many reasons, one being that I knew virtually nothing about Greek mythology before I began teaching it, so I learned along with my students. I always began the unit talking about how the ancient Greeks created gods in their own likeness and to explain the natural world. We would read the myths through the lens of what was known and unknown about the world’s creation and why things happened as they do in nature. We’d also read them to better understand what mattered culturally at that time, which values were held up as important through the words and deeds of the gods and humans in the stories. The concept of god as human-like and embodying both our greatest strengths and fallibilities, through a clearly western lens, was a great way to teach critical thinking skills and the importance of recognizing why and how people have created the societies they have, particularly the role of storytelling in shaping and reinforcing cultural norms.
One of the first stories we read was that of Prometheus and Epimetheus, the creators of animals on earth. Prometheus is known as being the god who gave fire to humans because his brother, Epimetheus, had given all of the physical gifts to other animals. As a class, we discussed what this told us of how the ancient Greeks understood where people came from and what values were being taught through the myth. We also looked at the etymology of Prometheus (fore-thought) and Epimetheus (after-thought). My students felt pretty smart seeing how the names helped to understand the story until I pointed out that every child in ancient Greece would have understood these names easily. This was not subtext but very literal text for them and the message was blunt too – think before you act. This is doubly important as we see that Prometheus is punished by Zeus for giving fire to humans. As part of our class discussion, we’d un-cover that Prometheus, being a thinker, would have known that he’d be punished for what he did, and he did it anyway – another lesson, or value, uncovered.
So what does this have to do with education and AI in schools?
When I see how schools and school districts are thinking about AI, I see some that are taking the Prometheus approach and trying to ensure that they’ve thought through how to best integrate this new technology into their current systems. In doing so, there’s a risk that their students miss out on learning how to use the technology and instead play with its fire without guidance. We also have schools that are a little more Epimetheus, opening up the doors to AI, without first ensuring that both students and teachers have a way of evaluating the technology and its impact on thinking and learning.
Just as the ancient Greeks found wisdom in the balance between Prometheus and Epimetheus, perhaps our path forward with AI in education lies in a similar equilibrium. We need both the foresight of Prometheus and the adaptability of Epimetheus to navigate this new landscape effectively.
Consider a third approach, one that combines thoughtful planning with flexible implementation:
Structured Exploration: Instead of either restricting AI use or allowing unfettered access, create structured opportunities for students to explore AI tools. This could involve guided projects where students use AI assistants for research or writing, followed by critical discussions about the process and results.
Ethical Framework: Develop a school-wide ethical framework for AI use, much like Prometheus gave humans not just fire, but the knowledge to use it wisely. This framework should address issues like plagiarism, fact-checking, and the importance of human creativity.
Teacher Training: Invest in comprehensive teacher training on AI tools and their educational applications. Like Prometheus teaching humans to use fire, our teachers need to be well-versed in AI to guide their students effectively.
Adaptive Policies: Implement policies that are regularly reviewed and updated, allowing for quick adjustments as we learn more about AI’s impact on learning. This combines Promethean foresight with Epimethean flexibility.
Student Agency: Encourage students to be active participants in shaping AI use in their education. This could involve student-led committees or projects exploring innovative ways to integrate AI into learning.
By adopting this balanced approach, we can avoid the extremes of either over-caution or reckless implementation. We’re not just giving our students the “fire” of AI; we’re teaching them how to tend it, respect it, and use it to illuminate their educational journey.
Moreover, this approach aligns beautifully with the core tenets of good education. It promotes critical thinking, ethical consideration, and adaptability – skills that are more crucial than ever in a new AI enabled landscape.
We’re in the process of writing a new chapter in the narrative of human learning. Like the myths we teach, the story of AI in education will be one of challenges overcome, lessons learned, and ultimately, of human ingenuity and wisdom prevailing.